Physics Degree in New Bedford, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for New Bedford, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$64K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$108K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.4 yrs
in New Bedford
Cost of Living
102.5
index (100 = avg)
Physics in New Bedford, MA Overview
While New Bedford has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Physics students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,635/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in New Bedford is approximately $63,550, growing to $107,625 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$16,100/yr
Private Tuition
$48,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,635/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,843/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
63%
Physics Salary in New Bedford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for New Bedford's cost of living index of 102.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.New Bedford adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for New Bedford
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local New Bedford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,100 | Private avg: $48,000
New Bedford avg aid: $9,843/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$122,940
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$27,675
vs HS diploma in New Bedford
ROI Payback Period
4.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in New Bedford
$645,810
Lifetime earnings premium ($768,750) minus total education cost ($122,940)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in New Bedford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in New Bedford for Physics
New Bedford State University
public
$15,984/yr
$63,936 total
University of New Bedford
public
$18,237/yr
$72,948 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
New Bedford Community College
$5,720/yr
Top Employers for Physics in New Bedford
New Bedford offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key New Bedford Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$85K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$73K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$82K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$82K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Lowell, MA
$70K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Brockton, MA
$67K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$80K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$73K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in New Bedford
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$97K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$87K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$90K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in New Bedford — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Physics ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in New Bedford.